Conventionally, there is known an engine in which the value of output torque or the like is determined by an opening position of a throttle valve (hereinafter, also referred to as a throttle opening position) or the like. In addition, an engine is available that is equipped with an electronic throttle valve with a motor serving as an actuator, instead of a throttle valve connected to an accelerator pedal with a wire.
A vehicle equipped with the electronic throttle valve allows control of the throttle opening position based on a factor different from a position of an accelerator pedal (hereinafter, also referred to as an accelerator pedal position), such as a behavior of the vehicle, and control of drive force of the vehicle or the like irrespective of the intention of a driver.
The action of the vehicle may be changed according to engine torque. Accordingly, when controlling the throttle opening position depending on the action of the vehicle or the like, it is advantageous, for the sake of control, to set a target value for engine torque, for example, depending on the action of the vehicle or the like to set a target value for the throttle opening position such that actual engine torque attains the set target value, rather than directly setting a target value for the throttle opening position.
Accordingly, when setting a target value for the throttle opening position depending on the accelerator pedal position, a target value for engine torque is temporarily set based on the accelerator pedal position to control the engine such that actual engine torque attains the set target value.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-155410 (Patent Document 1) discloses an engine torque control apparatus calculating static target engine torque depending on the absolute value of an operated amount of the accelerator pedal or a control amount changing in accordance with the operated amount of the accelerator pedal and dynamic target engine torque depending on a time change rate of the operated amount of the accelerator pedal or the control amount changing in accordance with the operated amount of the accelerator pedal, and determining final target engine torque based on the sum of these static target engine torque and dynamic target engine torque, thereby controlling engine torque.
According to the engine torque control apparatus disclosed in this publication, determining the final target engine torque based on the sum of static target engine torque and dynamic target engine torque to control engine torque achieves a desired acceleration corresponding to a driver's operation of the accelerator pedal following that operation without any transient delay, at the time of starting of the vehicle or the like. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-155410